Ford took my hand, and pulled me from the deep snow. His strength surprised me. We had arrived in Oregon today, but didn't take into account that it was the middle of winter, or that there might be a snow storm. We were set up in a cabin on the lake, which I reckon might have been beautiful if it wasn't frozen over and covered in 6 feet of snow.
"Lord Almighty," I said shaking the snow off of me. I must've looked like a wet dog shaking out, and that seemed to make Ford laugh.
Unfortunately for us there would be no field study. The snow piled high, trapping us inside, merely hours after we'd arrived. From the attic we could see out into the powdered snow, but I reckon it just looked like a whole lot of white, with little flecks of light here and there.
"Mind if I shower first?" I called to Ford.
"No worries!" He called back. The bathroom was freezing cold, especially the porcelain tub. I turned on the shower as warm fog filled the room. I threw off my soggy clothes, and good riddance! The blood flow to my body caused pin prickles on my skin. The water stung as it touched my frozen pink skin, but my uneasiness faded as I warmed up. Eventually the sharpness dulled. I let the warm water run down my body as I stood there dissociating. I reckon this is the best shower I'd ever taken. I hummed happily to myself as I massaged soap into my scalp. I heard the heavy oak door creek open, snapping me out of my trance. I pulled the curtain back.
Ford stood there awkwardly, my towel in hand.
"I uh, uh, towel," he said, looking me up and down, anywhere but my eyes. He tossed it and left just as awkwardly. I stood there frozen until soap dripped down into my eyes.
"My eye! I'm blind in my eye!" I yelled. The soap felt like summers on the farm, scorching, unbearable, and never ending. And yet, like the farm, the burning came to an end. I could still see.
"fuck," I whispered to myself, I felt faint.
I didn't know what to do so I just pretended nothing happened. How else was I supposed to face him?
"Howdy," I smiled, but my lack of eye contact probably told him I was a little embarrassed. I reckon my nervous twitching, and red face could also be a give away, incase he wasn't as smart as he looked.
"I made hot cocoa!" He smiled, but in my peripheral I could see he couldn't even look at me. We sat there silently sipping cocoa, sitting as far away from each other as humanly possible. Business as usual.
"I didn't mean to see you in a compromising position, I saw you forgot your towel,"
"I'm sorry you saw me so indecently, I heard a noise and I reckon I was startled is all,"
We said at the same time.
"No it's my fault," we both said. We laughed.
"I reckon it's alright," I said, "but don't get any funny ideas. You have to take a fellow out on the town and show him a good time if you want another show," I quipped. He looked away shyly.
"What are you wearing anyways?" He said changing the subject. I looked down at my old worn out red fleece jumpsuit.
"They're my winter pajamas," I said defensively, "and what are you wearing? Underwear and an undershirt? In this cold? Don't come crying to me for extra blankets tonight!".
"I'll have you know I run hot in my sleep! And I like the cold!"he said matter of factor puffing out his chest.
"Fiddleford" Ford whispered, poking me in the arm as I tried to sleep. The room was as black as the ink pen that had exploded on Ford once, and took 3 weeks to unstain him. It was the kind of dark I reckon that could conjure such a bitter and malicious cold. The cabin was too big, and the rooms were too far away from the fire place to feel the warmth.
Ford dragged me downstairs to a half built pillow fort in front of the fireplace.
"I thought I told you don't come begging for blankets," I said crankily rubbing my eyes. The fire was a sharp contrast to the dark, abruptly ending any fantasy that I might get some sleep anytime soon. I reckon I wouldn't.
"I know I know but don't tell me you weren't miserable in that cold!" He said nudging into me.
"If we combine our blankets, we can both sleep in it, and we'll both be warm!" He said. I reckon I couldn't fall back asleep if I tried in this cold.
"Alright," I said rolling my eyes.
"I guess I didn't have to take you out on the town to get you into bed," Ford laughed.
